Always supportive and smiling, omnipresent Bytheal Ratliff, a beloved athlete-turned-coach, spent much of the past two decades giving back to the community. A kidney transplant recipient in 1997, Ratliff died Thursday of heart disease. He was 49.
Ratliff coached junior varsity football at Santa Cruz High, AAU boys basketball, Little League baseball, Cabrillo GALS, Crushers softball teams, and a variety of teams at Shoreline Middle School. He a fixture at most Cardinals varsity sporting events.
“Coaching is my free time!” Ratliff told the Sentinel in 2012. “I have to thank my wife, Lisa, because sometimes I’m hardly around, but she understands what I need to do to fulfill my dream of giving back to this community.”
Said Lisa: “I couldn’t tell him no. He loved it too much. It’s in him. He loves kids.”
Ratliff worked for the Live Oak School District the past 18 years, wearing a variety of hats.
He served as athletic director at Shoreline Middle School and provided campus security for the Live Oak School District. A candlelight vigil was held for Ratliff on Friday at Shoreline.
A celebration of life will be held to honor him, though a date, location and site haven’t yet been announced by his family.
“Words cannot adequately express our sorrow, nor do they adequately express our gratitude for having had the privilege of working alongside this extraordinary man,” Tamra Taylor, Live Oak Superintendent, wrote on the district website.
Taylor added: “He took a personal interest in students and his mentoring made a huge difference in their lives.”
Ratliff, a 1986 Santa Cruz High graduate, played football, basketball and baseball for the Cardinals. He also played football at Cabrillo College before falling ill with kidney issues. His sister, Annissa, served as his kidney donor. He suffered a pair of heart attacks the past two years.
A former lineman on the football field, Ratliff at Santa Cruz blocked for record-setting running back Johnny Johnson, who went on to play in the NFL from 1990-94.
Ratliff is survived by his wife and three children: Teresa, 26, Kayla Banuelos, 26, and Deontae, a 16-year-old who plays basketball at Harbor High.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to support his family: gofundme.com/in-memory-of-bytheal-ratliff
College baseball
Valenzuela, Fullerton advances >> St. Francis High alum Sahid Valenzuela was 0 for 4 at the plate but No. 2 seed Cal State Fullerton nevertheless defeated No. 1 Stanford 4-2 to win the NCAA Stanford Regional and advance to the Super Regionals.
It is the 22nd regional title for the Titans and their 11th Super Regionals.
Valenzuela is a freshman and the Titans’ starting second baseman. He assisted on the final out.
The Titans face the winner of the Long Beach Regional in a best-of three series next weekend.
Stanford’s loss marked the final game for legendary coach Mark Marquess, who became the fourth-winningest coach in Division I history in 41 seasons at the helm.
Rivera takes loss >> Chris Rivera threw four innings of relief and took the loss as No. 1 seed Long Beach State fell 5-3 to No. 2 Texas in 12 innings in the NCAA Long Beach Regional.
The Watsonville High alum retired nine straight hitters before hitting a rough patch in the 12th. He gave up two runs on two hits and two walks. He finished with two strikeouts.
The Dirtbags (38-18-1) face No. 4 San Diego State (42-20) in an elimination game Sunday at 1 p.m. The winner faces the Longhorns at 7 p.m.
Youth water polo
Local teams take first >> Several teams representing the Santa Cruz Water Polo Club took first place in their respective division during the first day of the annual Santa Cruz Classic, held at Santa Cruz High, Aptos High and Cabrillo College.
The boys’ 18U (3-0), 14U (3-0) and 12U (3-0) teams each took first place, while the 16U girls (3-0) also earned first place. The 12U girls (1-2) placed fifth in the Coed Gold Division.
Sunday, competition includes the 18u and 14U girls, the 16u boys and the 12u Coed Platinum teams.
Surfing
Young advances to Round 2 >> Santa Cruz’s Nat Young advanced to Round 2 at the Outerknown Fiji Pro, event No. 5 on the World Surf League’s Championship Tour.
Young compiled a two-wave score of 7.43 to place second in Heat 8 of Round 1. Brazil’s Gabriel Medina won the heat with a 12.00, while Wiggolly Dantas scored a 5.63 to place third.
Young will square off against France’s Jeremy Flores in Heat 8 of Round 2 when competition resumes in Namotu, Tavarua, Fiji.
Golf
Santa Clara County Championship >> Pajaro Valley’s Sean Etow shot 1-over 71 to make the cut at the 91st annual Ernie Pieper Santa Clara County Championship at San Jose Country Club.
Etow is tied for third.
Devyn Fitchhorn of Green Valley Country Club leads at 4-under-par 66.
The low 40 scorers made the cut. Pasatiempo’s Max Meltzer shot 6-over 76 — the cut line — to advance.
Action continues Sunday with Round 2 beginning at 6:30 a.m., and Round 3 starting at 1:30 p.m.
Inkster makes cut >> Santa Cruz native Juli Inkster shot a 73 and made the second-round cut of the LPGA Tour’s ShopRite LPGA Classic at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club in Galloway, N.J.
Inkster has a 2-over 144 (71-73) across 36 holes and is tied for 57th. The cut was 4 over.
The Harbor High alumna recorded three birdies and five bogeys in the second round.
Paula Creamer and In-Kyung Kim are tied for first at 9 under.
Pro baseball
Torres saddled with loss >> Watsonville native Carlos Torres (2-4) blew his third save opportunity of the season and took the loss as the Milwaukee Brewers fell 10-8 to the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.
Torres, an Aptos High alum, gave up five runs, four earned, on three hits and two walks in a forgettable ninth inning. His season ERA ballooned from 3.10 to 4.20.
